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AN
ESSAY
TOWARD
A
PROOF OF
A
SEPARATE STATE OF
SOULS
BETWEEN DEATH AND
THE
RESURRECTION,
AND
THE
COMMENCEMENT
OF
THE
REWARDS
OF
VIRTUE
AND VICE
IMMEDIATELY AFTER DEATH.
SECTION I.
The
Introduction, or Proposal
of
the Question,
with
a
Distinction
of
the
Persons
who oppose
it.
IT
is
confessed,
that
the
doctrine of
the
resurrection
Of
the dead,
at
the last
day,
and
the
everlasting joys,
and
the eternal
sorrows,
that
shall succeed
it,
as
they
are
described
in
the New Testament, are a
very awful sanc-
tion
to
the
gospel
of
Christ,
and carry
in
them
such
principles
of
hope
ánd terror,
as should effectually
dis-
courage
vice
and
irreligion,
and
become
a
powerful at-
tractive
to
the practice of
faith, and
love,
and universal
holiness.
But
so
corrupt
and
perverse
are the inclinations
of
men, in this fallen
and degenerate
world, and
their
pas
-
sions
are
so
much impressed
and
moved,
by
things
that
áre
present, or
just
at
hand,
that
the joys
of
heaven,
and
the sorrows
of
hell,
_when
set far beyond death and
the
grave,
at
some
vast
and unknown distance
of
time,
would
have
but
too little
influence on
their hearts and
lives.
And though
these solemn and
important
events
are
never
so
certain
in themselves,
,
yet
being
looked
upon
as
things a
great
Way off,
make
too feeble
an
im-
pression on the
conscience, and
their distance
is
much
abúsed
to give an
indulgence
to
present
sensualities.
For
this.
we
have
the testimony
of our
blessed
Saviour
himself,
Mat.
xxiv.
48, 49.
"
The
evil
servant
says,
my
Lord delays
his
coming
;
then he
begins to
smite
his
fellow-
servants,
and
to
eat
and drink
with
the
drunken
;"